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Jury Finds Moon Lake Man Guilty In 2004 Beating

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By Todd Leskanic / Tampa Tribune

Published: November 1, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - A jury deliberated for 30 minutes this afternoon before finding a Moon Lake man guilty in the 2004 beating of Joanna Herman.

Lawrence Tener, 25, will be sentenced Dec. 6. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Herman, 43, was visiting from New York on Dec. 11, 2004, when she met Tener and Steven Nicholson at The Edge Bar in Moon Lake. She and the men went to Tener's nearby mobile home to continue drinking. That's where Tener flew into a rage and struck her numerous times, according to prosecutors. Herman suffered cuts and gashes to her face and head and broke her hand in 10 places.

Today's verdict could have even greater significance if Tener is convicted in an upcoming first-degree murder trial where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. In that event, prosecutors could use today's verdict as an aggravator to argue Tener deserves the death penalty.

In the murder case, Tener is accused of killing of 43-year-old Tammy Lee Bowles. Bowles disappeared in late October 2004. Her body was later found buried on Tener's property.

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